Infrastructure for mobile devices and electronic loose equipment

ABSTRACT

A new infrastructure for mobile devices and electronic loose equipment, preferably an aircraft infrastructure, is designed to be deployed for both new production aircraft and the after-market installed base for all parts of the aircraft that have human interaction, such as the galley, cockpit or cabin. The architecture is designed around two main objectives: creating stylized and functional products with flexibility in design and providing reliability and maintainability for operators while integrating power and charging mediums to those devices. This architecture is composed of several elements that as a whole complete our new architecture for mobile devices and electronic loose equipment design.

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applicationSer. No. 61/892,721, filed Oct. 18, 2013.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the infrastructure for mobile devices andelectronic loose equipment. More specifically, it relates to theinfrastructure for aircrafts, trains, cars or ships.

BACKGROUND

Mobile devices are driving a major technological revolution that isspreading across all facets of human activity from daily life to thework place. Along with the deployment of Wi-Fi and wireless capabilityonboard aircraft many users and clients are bringing tablets,smartphones or other gadgets onboard. There is a need to address theportability of these technologies inside the aircraft. Therefore,provide options to the different clients and users to bring theelectronic loose equipment onboard and place them on arms, holders, orother mechanisms for storage, use or for charging.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new infrastructurefor mobile devices and electronic loose equipment, preferably anaircraft infrastructure designed to be deployed for both new productionaircraft and the after-market installed base. This invention's scopereaches all parts of the aircraft that have human interaction, such asthe galley, cockpit or cabin.

This new architecture is designed around two main objectives: creatingstylized and functional products with flexibility in design andproviding reliability and maintainability for operators whileintegrating power and charging mediums to those devices. Thisarchitecture is composed of several elements that as a whole completeour new architecture for mobile devices and electronic loose equipmentdesign.

These elements are: a power charger, a receptacle, an arm, a connectorand a holding plate.

The aircraft infrastructure for mobile devices and electronic looseequipment is designed to provide universal pairing with the existingmobile devices and tablets and also leaves the door open to adapt newdevelopments in this sector. It provides maintainability and armplacement in aircrafts of all types, also relevant to various sectors(new production or used/after-market) as well as in different locationsof the aircraft.

One of the main elements of said aircraft infrastructure is itsinterchangeability. This feature is defined as that quality that allowsa part to substitute or be substituted by other component parts, and beinstalled by the application of the attaching means only (bolts, nuts,screws, washers, pins, etc.). This definition specifically precludes theuse of trimming, cutting, filing, drilling, shimming, and forming duringinstallation. A set of building blocks is proposed to accommodatedifferent needs of tablet and device functionality inside an aircraft,by providing elements that in between them are interchangeable.

Accordingly, in some embodiments, there is provided an aircraft devicemounting system having at least one type of quick-release mechanical andelectrical coupling with complementary male and female portions, anaircraft body mountable unit having a mounting flange, one of the maleand female portions, and a power supply connectable to an aircraft powerbus and configured to provide lower voltage power, preferably withresettable electronic fuse protection, to the one of the male and femaleportions, a support arm having two of the male and female portions, atablet computer holder having one of the male and female portions,wherein the support arm is connectable between the aircraft bodymountable unit and the table computer holder.

Another problem that can arise with mountings secured permanently to anaircraft interior for receiving a removable bracket, arm or device isthat the removable portion can be hit or subjected to forces that coulddamage the portion of the aircraft body to which the mounting issecured. This problem can be solved by providing a portion of theremovable device that will break under such extreme force, also calledherein a mechanical fuse, thus sparing the mounting that is permanentlysecured to the aircraft body. In some cases, this portion can be abreakable biscuit that is received by a complementary socket of themounting.

In some embodiments, there is provided an aircraft socket for fixedmounting to an aircraft cabin body component and for receiving andmechanically supporting a removable support arm comprising or forsupporting an electrical or electronic device, the socket comprising aflange for mounting to said aircraft cabin body component, a rim forengaging and securely supporting a complementary rim of said supportarm, a receptacle for receiving and securing a male insert of thesupport arm, the receptacle spanning a full width of the socket insidethe rim, an electrical connector within the rim and located to a side ofthe receptacle for connecting with a complementary electrical connectorof the support arm, and power control circuitry connectable to anaircraft power supply bus and configured to provide electrical power tothe electrical connector. The rim can be circular, oval, square,rectangular or any desired polygon in shape. The male insert can beprovided within the rim such that one side of the insert is on adiameter or mid-line of the rim, with the electrical connector, forexample a USB connector, provided within the rim opposite the insertreceptacle. If desired, the male insert can be beveled or shaped to fitwithin the rim shape.

Definition, Terms, Elements

Aircraft: any machine capable of flying by means of buoyancy oraerodynamic forces, such as a glider, helicopter, or airplane.

Charger: power supply that transforms a certain voltage into anothervoltage value.

Receptacle: mechanical structure used to support another part byproviding physical support or also a bridge for electrical power.

USB: is a technology industry standard developed in the mid-1990s thatdefines the cables, connectors and communications protocols used in abus for connection, communication, and power supply between computersand electronic devices.

Cat 5 Ethernet Cable: is a twisted pair cable for carrying signals. Thistype of cable is used in structured cabling for computer networks suchas Ethernet.

USB Extender: it is an electronic device with the sole functionality ofrepeating the signal (data) from the sender side and transmitting it tothe receiver side without the loss of information or quality of data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood by way of the following detaileddescription of embodiments of the invention with reference to theappended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an oblique view of a receptacle part of a mechanical andelectrical coupling according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2A shows a front view of the receptacle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B shows a variant of FIG. 2A in which the receptacle has a squaresupport rim;

FIG. 2C shows a variant of FIG. 2A in which the receptacle has arectangular support rim;

FIG. 3 shows the receptacle of FIG. 1 with a support arm and deviceholder according to one embodiment, in which the support arm has at abase end a male portion complementary to the receptacle and at anotherend a universal coupler female portion, and the device holder isconnectable to the universal coupler, the figure including an magnifiedtransparent view detail of the mechanical fuse;

FIG. 4 shows an oblique rear view of the device holder according to theembodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows an oblique view of a small arm and a holder for a handheldsmartphone device;

FIG. 6 shows a front view of the small arm and a holder for a handheldsmartphone device of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows an oblique view of a cockpit console mountable male portionof the universal coupling;

FIG. 8 shows an oblique view of a cockpit support arm connectablebetween the console mountable universal coupling male portion of FIG. 7and the male portion of the universal coupling of the device holder ofFIG. 4, the cockpit support arm having two adjustable and lockableuniversal joints for adjusting the device holder within a cockpit;

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of a power supply circuit; and

FIG. 10 illustrates normal and protection voltages at three points inthe circuit of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a quick-release mechanical andelectrical coupling female portion 10. As also seen in FIG. 2A, thefemale portion 10 is an aircraft body mountable unit that has a mountingflange 12 for fastening to a panel of the aircraft, such as a wall,seat-back, armrest or the like. A rim 14 is circular in FIG. 2A andrectangular in FIG. 2B. The rim may protrude through a hole in a panelto which the unit 10 is mounted from the rear, or the unit can besurface mounted. As illustrated, the unit 10 can have fastening holes ona front face and on a side for accommodating different mountingconfigurations, and it will be understood that different fasteningarrangements can be implemented.

A slot 16 is provided in the unit 10 that receives a corresponding malebiscuit 22 of a male portion 20 (shown in FIG. 3). The slot 16 can becovered by a flap that can be biased t be closed when not in use. Anelectrical or a combined electrical and data connector 18 is provided inthe unit 12, and is shown in FIG. 2A to be a female USB connector. Thetype and gender of the connector can vary depending on the application.

The USB female connector 18 in FIGS. 1 and 2A are connected to a maleUSB plug 18 that in turn is connected to a power supply circuit as willbe described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, that is housed in ahousing not shown. It will be appreciated that the power supply circuitcan be housed within the unit 10, if desired.

As shown in FIG. 3, an arm 30 has the male portion 20 connected to itslower end, and a universal coupling member 40 connected to its upperend. The male portion 20 has a corresponding rim 24 for contacting rim14, a biscuit 22 for inserting into slot 16 and a male USB connector 26for connecting to the female connector 18. As shown in the detail, thebiscuit 22 can be made of metal, such as aluminum or a die-cast metal,or any other suitable material that is able to support normal use forcesapplied to the coupling 20,10. The biscuit 22 is connected to the maleportion 20 by a shear screw 23 that will break when arm 30 is subjectedto a large force, for example a weight of about 200 pounds (900 N) atthe end of the arm 30. In this way, an excessive force breaks the shearscrew 23 in the biscuit 22 to protect the aircraft body connected to theunit 10 from damage. This protection is called a mechanical fuse.

While not shown in FIG. 3, the coupling 20 can comprise, for example, apush button in the middle of the joint between arm 30 and coupling 20for actuating a release for a latch mechanism that operates to lock themale member 22 within the slot 16. In this way, the arm 30 can be heldnot only by the friction between the biscuit 22 and the slot 18, alongwith gravity, but also using a latch or locking mechanism.

The arm 30 also supports in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 arotation and pivot joint 32 for adjusting an orientation of the segment34 carrying member 40.

The universal coupling female member 40 has a slot 42, electricalconnector 44, and locking recess 46. The tablet holder 50 has a tabletpower connector (e.g. USB micro, USB mini, Lightning, etc.) 52, and acomplementary male universal connector as better shown in FIG. 4.

While providing electric power is important, it will be understood thatthe connectors are designed to be able to provide power and data. Dataconnectivity between connected devices and the aircraft is optional, butcan be desirable for a variety of applications. In some embodiments, itis contemplated to have a charging circuit adapt aircraft bus power tosuitable low voltage power for devices, while a network interfaceconnects the data of the connector 18 or 44 to an aircraft data networkbus for the intended purpose of device connectivity. Such circuits canbe housed with a housing of unit 10.

The rear of the tablet holder 50, as shown in FIG. 4, has a top andbottom bracket 54 for engaging and holding a tablet computer fromopposed sides or ends, and a lever 55 for controlling a separation ofthe brackets 54 to grip the tablet. The upper portion of the holdingplate 50 moves while the lower portion is fixed, and it will beappreciated that a variety of mechanical arrangement can be used tosecure the tablet to the holding plate 50. For example, the upperportion can be simply biased to grip the tablet.

The male portion 40′ of the universal coupling 40/40′ has a flange 42′for engaging with the slot 42, an electrical connector 44′ forconnecting to the connector 44, and a locking tab 46′ for engaging thelocking recess 46. The connector 44 is connected to the coupling 52 byconductors integrated with the holder 50. Release of the locking tab 46′can be done using release tab 48 that can be used to move the tab 46′against the action of a spring. It will be appreciated that other quickrelease mechanisms can be used for locking and unlocking the portions 40and 40′ from one another.

While the arm 30 provides an ability to position and orient a tabletdevice with a radius of movement of about 40 cm, it will be understoodthat the arm can take a variety of forms and functions. For example, thearm 30 can be much smaller and provide no or only one degree of freedomfor supporting a smartphone-size holder 50′ as illustrated in FIGS. 5and 6. Such a smaller device holder 50′ may provide only a base withconnector 52 and a support for holding the smartphone or small tabletinclined or vertically for viewing by a passenger, crew member or pilot.

Alternatively, the arm 30 of FIG. 3 can provide more degrees of freedomto provide height adjustability. While the arm 30 is illustrated ashaving portion 40 of a universal connector at its end, it will beappreciated that it may directly have its desired holder or device atits end. For example, the arm 30 can comprise a reading light built in.Alternatively, a reading light can use a coupling portion 40′ to connectto an arm 30 having coupling portion 40. While the arm 30 is shown tohave different coupling types at each end, it will be appreciated thatthe arm 30 can have the same type of couplings at both ends, as in theembodiment of FIG. 8.

FIG. 7 shows the male universal coupling portion 40′ arranged as acockpit console or panel mountable unit. This is a surface mounted unitthat is fastened to the outer surface of a panel (e.g. using fastenerholes as shown). The unit 40′ can have the same function as describedwith reference to FIG. 4, namely locking tab 46′, release 48, connector44′ and flange 42′. The unit 40′ can be connected to a USB chargercircuit via connector 19. The unit 40′ can use a proprietary electricalconnector 44′ to connect to the complementary connector 44 (shown inFIG. 8), or a standard connector, such as mini-USB or Lightning.

In the tight confines of a cockpit, the support arm 60, as shown in FIG.8, is shorter than for the cabin, and has two universal ball joints 62locked in position with a certain resistance to force by a mechanism 64,as for example a screw clamp, each joint 62 being connected to arespective a female coupling portion 40. One female coupling portion 40is for connecting to the cockpit mounted unit, and another is forconnecting to the tablet holder 50 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Once atablet is mounted onto the holder 50, its position and orientation canbe adjusted with the clamp handle 64 turned to free the joints 62, andonce in the desired position and orientation, the clamp is tightened.

FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic block diagram of the power supply circuit70 that comprises an over current protection circuit 71 connected to anaircraft DC input, an EMI filter 72 connected to the protection circuit71, a detection circuit 74 connected to the filter 72 that detectsvoltage and current coming from the aircraft bus and controls thecircuit 71 and an overvoltage protection circuit 75. The output of thecircuit 75 feeds a DC to DC converter 76 that provides the desired lowDC voltage to an output protection circuit 77 that is then connected tothe device connector, such as the USB power bus.

As shown in FIG. 10, the power supply circuit 70 operates to protectagainst voltage surges on the aircraft bus, for example as may be causedby an excess of voltage generated by the generator. When the voltage isdetected to be over a threshold, for example 50 V, then circuit 74causes device 75 to open and interrupt the supply of current toconverter 76. Likewise, when the aircraft voltage is too low, thecircuit 74 disconnects power from the converter 76 until a stable powerlevel of at least about 8 V is present on the bus. Circuit 74 alsomeasures the current flow into the converter 76, and if it is above agiven threshold, circuit 71 can be controlled to interrupt the supply ofcurrent to the filter 72. Filter 72 absorbs small current and voltagespikes, but cannot handle large spikes or fluctuations in power thatlast, for example, a few seconds.

The circuit 70 can include a functionality LED indicator connected to anoutput of the converter circuit 76. This indicator is shown in FIG. 9 asa dot in the block for converter 76. It can inform the user that poweris not available due to a short in the arm or holder, or in the device.It will be appreciated that the source of the indicator signal can befrom a different circuit component than converter 76.

If a device connected to the low voltage output of the converter 76should draw too much current, for example due to a short, the outputprotection circuit 77 measures this current level and interrupts powerto the device. The circuit 77 can repeatedly try to deliver current tothe device, as long as the continuous power supplied is very low, inorder to limit the power delivered to a device in case of a malfunction,and in order to prevent damage to the device and to draw less power.This behavior can be considered to be an intelligent fuse in that itallows for power to restore itself as soon as the problem is not longerpresent. If a device, such as a laptop, is connected into the powersupply through, for example, the USB port, and the device supplies powerto the power supply 70, the presence of such power can be detected andcause the power supply to disconnect from the device. This disconnectionneed not impair connect of data to a network of the aircraft. Powersupply 70 also provides protection both on the high voltage aircraft busside and on the low voltage device side.

It will be appreciated that the power supply circuit can be used topower a single connector, such as a USB port, with or without dataconnectivity, without being associated with a mechanical coupling asdescribed above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

The power charger 70 operates under a fast charge capability. It canutilize a maximum output current of 2.5 A under 5V. It can be housed asa single unit providing all the functionality needed to deliver currentto a tablet or a mobile device. It is compact, lightweight and uniquelyversatile for an easy installation. It can incorporate an LED, aconnector, and perform at high power efficiency.

The charger circuit 70 can be compatible with most tablets (Apple,Android) and all other PED devices that are present in the currentmarket or will be developed in the future.

The charger can also meet the DO-160 certification. This is the officialAviation industry standard required for power units to be placed incockpits and cabins of various aircraft types.

One very important differentiation between the power charger 70 of thepresent embodiment and other power charges in the market is the factthat charger 70 provides over current/over voltage protection,bi-directional and reversible voltage protection, automatically resetsin the event of a fault, and it can work at a nominal and surge inputvoltage: 28 VDC/36 VDC.

Depending on what is the use of the charger 70, the applicant hascreated 2 types of them. In one version, the charger is a device thatoperates in short distances from the power or data source. Though inairplanes, sometimes the luxury of having the main cabin power or greenpower is not easy to obtain, the applicant also created an extendedversion of the charger that can support long distances.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B FIG. 7, the USB Receptacle shownincorporates an all-encompassing type design that seamlessly connects tothe arms, holders or other functional devices. The unit 10 is designedto fit in multiple places to create flexibility in placement (ex; cabin,cockpit, side ledges, seats, divans, etc.). It also provides for easyinstallation with the different elements of the new cabin architecturefor mobile devices and loose electronic equipment.

The receptacle 10 can also include a sliding cover (not shown) over theUSB connector 18 to protect it when not in use. It is the basemechanical unit to attach all the arms, holders, or other approvedproducts, specifically, those that conform to the support structure forthe tablets or electronic devices attached to the cabin architecture.

FIG. 8A wide variety of designs for the arms can be contemplated. Thesearms can be designed to support aerospace requirements in terms ofweight, maintainability and life cycle durability. They can be highlystylized tablet-arms that are designed to be sleek, stylized, visuallyappealing while they try to blend with the interior of the aircraftminimizing any visual interference. They can be ergonomically designedfor optimal viewing when passengers are seated in either an erect orreclined viewing position in the cabin or the aircraft. These can beplaced in various locations and configurations as long as the receptacleis present as the base or foundation.

The arms have been developed using a robust design that can accommodatedifferent tablet formats and shapes. They are designed and engineeredwith a focus on strength, maintainability and reliability. They canprovide multiple degrees of freedom to achieve optimal viewing positions(Field Of View) for the seated occupant and by means of a connector theycan support any holding plate uniquely fitted to each tablet type.

The arms can also mitigate against vibration-induced white noise.

It is important to specify that the arms can come in different shapes,and these shapes can depend on the desired use and placement of theunit. The arms can be long, short, curved or flat depending on thedevice that they will be supporting and the nature of its functionality.

The tablet-arm 30 is ergonomically designed to provide the user with acomfortable viewing position both in erect or reclined positions. Thedesign incorporates movement and rotation that balances robustness withefficient maneuverability to effectively optimize the arm usage. The armcan be very robust and designed to meet or exceed typical usage in thecabin while being lightweight.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the universal coupling 40,40′ provides asection of the aircraft infrastructure for mobile devices and electronicloose equipment. This equipment is unique and it provides a lockingmechanism 46, 46′ to fit a holding plate 40 with an arm or holder. Ithas several key features and technologies that provide a robust latchwhile engaged and an easy removal while disengaged.

To latch or secure part 40 to part 40′, part 40 needs to be slid insidepart 40′. This is simple and almost effortless. After insertion, themechanism will “latch” or engage, and part 40 will be locked inside part40′. This will couple the holding plate 40′ with the arm 60.

To release part 40′, a mechanical lever 48 is pressed or pushed.Pressing this lever will disengage the mechanical system and will“unlatch” the coupling, afterwards, a simple push will release anddisengage the unit.

Referring to FIG. 4, the aircraft infrastructure for mobile devices andelectronic loose equipment is designed to accommodate different tabletformats. Our design is unique in the industry as it can employ tabletspecific interchangeable holding-plates that optimize the fit for eachelectronic device, create a stable housing to minimize vibration (hencecabin noise) and provide safe stable platform. The tablet can beinserted into the holding-plate 50 and mechanically secured with anadvanced locking device (lever 55). Each holding-plate 50 can containthe charging port 52 for the specific device. This component of thetablet-arm assembly can be made of high-grade aluminum to ensurerobustness, thereby optimally accommodating wear and tear from constantusage.

The holding-plates 50 can be designed for the most popular tabletdevices in the consumer market. For example, this currently includesseveral generations of the Apple iPad (i.e. 2,3,4), the Apple iPad Miniand the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

The holding plate 50 can be coupled with any arm or holder thanks to theconnector 40,40′. As new tablet brands and formats are introduced to themarketplace, the holding plate 50 will be able to easily accommodatethem with minimal changes (i.e. no need to replace arm or receptacle).This will be accomplished by designing a new holding-plate fittedspecifically for the new tablet model, which will fit into thetablet-arm without any change to the arm assembly due to the connector.Therefore, the customer will not be restricted when they upgrade tabletdevices nor will the arm assembly need replacement.

For operators who still want holding plates that can accommodatemultiple devices, the applicant has also developed a universal variant,called the Universal Holding Plate, based on the same principleshighlighted before.

What is claimed is:
 1. An aircraft device mounting system comprising: atleast one type of quick-release mechanical and electrical coupling withcomplementary male and female portions; an aircraft body mountable unithaving a mounting flange, one of a male portion or female portion of afirst quick-release mechanical and electrical coupling from among the atleast one type of quick-release mechanical and electrical coupling, anda power line connectable to an aircraft power bus and configured tosupply power to said one of the male and female portions of the aircraftbody mountable unit; a support arm having a first end and a second end,and comprising at the first end the other of the male or female portionof a first quick-release mechanical and electrical coupling from amongthe at least one type of quick-release mechanical and electricalcoupling, and comprising at the second end one of a male or femaleportion of a second quick-release mechanical and electrical couplingfrom among the at least one type of quick-release mechanical andelectrical coupling; a tablet computer holder having the other one ofthe male or female portion of the second quick-release mechanical andelectrical coupling, and comprising a connector for providing at leastpower to a tablet computer; wherein the support arm is connectablebetween the aircraft body mountable unit and the tablet computer holder,wherein said male portion of said first quick-release mechanical andelectrical coupling comprises a biscuit and a breakable fastener locatedat least partially in said biscuit and connecting said biscuit to a restof said first quick-release mechanical and electrical coupling, saidbreakable fastener acting as a mechanical fuse by breaking underexcessive force.
 2. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprisinga power supply circuit where in the power supply circuit is configuredto measure a current level drawn and, when said current level drawnexceeds a threshold, to interrupt power delivered to the tablet computerwhile repeatedly trying to deliver current to the tablet computer withcontinuous power supplied being low to provide automatically resettableelectronic fuse protection.
 3. The system as defined in claim 2, whereinthe power supply circuit is configured to protect against over-voltageon the aircraft bus side and to protect against over-current andreverse-voltage on a device side.
 4. The system as defined in claim 1,wherein the system comprises a flange and slot coupling.
 5. The systemas defined in claim 1, wherein the first quick-release mechanical andelectrical coupling comprises a plug and socket coupling.
 6. The systemas defined in claim 5, wherein the male portion of the plug and socketcoupling is spaced from an electrical connector.
 7. The system asdefined in claim 5, wherein the female portion of the plug and socketcoupling comprises a rim configured to extend from a surface of theaircraft body for engaging and securely supporting a complementary rimof said male portion of the plug and socket coupling.
 8. The system asdefined in claim 7, wherein said rim is circular.
 9. The system asdefined in claim 7, wherein said rim is rectangular.
 10. The system asdefined in claim 5, wherein the system comprises both said flange andslot coupling and said plug and socket coupling.
 11. The system asdefined in claim 10, wherein said flange and slot coupling is providedbetween said tablet computer holder and said support arm, with said plugand socket coupling provided between said support arm and said aircraftbody mountable unit.
 12. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein saidflange and slot coupling is further provided between said aircraft bodymountable unit and said support arm for use in a cockpit or othervertical panel of an aircraft.
 13. The system as defined in claim 1,wherein at least one of the first and second quick-release mechanicaland electrical coupling comprises a USB standard connector.
 14. Aportable device mounting assembly for aircraft, comprising: a supportpart having a first end and a second end; a quick-release mechanical andelectrical coupling located at the first end of said support part with amale portion, for connecting said portable device mounting assembly tosaid aircraft and for creating power supply to a power connector on saidportable device mounting assembly; and a portable device holder locatedat the second end, for clamping said portable device; wherein said powerconnector provides at least power to said portable device, and multipledegrees of freedom are created at the first end and the second end ofsaid support part to provide position adjustability of said portabledevice, wherein said male portion of said quick-release mechanical andelectrical coupling comprises a biscuit and a breakable fastener locatedat least partially in said biscuit and connecting said biscuit to a restof said first quick-release mechanical and electrical coupling, saidbreakable fastener acting as a mechanical fuse by breaking underexcessive force.
 15. A portable device mounting assembly as claimed inclaim 14, said power connector is a USB port.
 16. A portable devicemounting assembly as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a powersupply circuit wherein the power supply circuit comprises automaticallyresettable electronic fuse protection.
 17. A mobile device securing andcharging architecture for aircraft, comprising: a removable support armhaving at a first end a quick-release electrical and mechanical couplingwith a male portion for connecting with a matching coupling connected toan aircraft body and aircraft electrical system; a mobile device holderlocated at a second end of the removable support arm having at least onebracket for engaging and holding a mobile device from opposed sides togrip the mobile device; a USB power bus located within the removablesupport arm; an automatically resetting aircraft-adapted power supplycircuit comprising an over current protection circuit and bidirectionalvoltage protection circuit having as input aircraft electrical systemvoltage of 28V and providing an output voltage of 5V at the USB powerbus wherein said automatically resetting aircraft-adapted power supplycircuit is connectable to a mobile device held by the mobile deviceholder via a USB connector provided within the mobile device securingand charging architecture, wherein said male portion of saidquick-release mechanical and electrical coupling comprises a biscuit anda breakable fastener located at least partially in said biscuit andconnecting said biscuit to a rest of said first quick-release mechanicaland electrical coupling, said breakable fastener acting as a mechanicalfuse by breaking under excessive force.
 18. The mobile device securingand charging architecture of claim 17, further comprising a networkinterface in communication with the USB connector and an aircraft datanetwork.
 19. The mobile device securing and charging architecture ofclaim 17, further comprising an electrical fuse provided by theautomatically resetting aircraft-adapted power supply circuit.
 20. Themobile device securing and charging architecture of claim 17, whereinthe automatically resetting aircraft-adapted power supply circuit ishoused as a single unit within said mobile device securing and chargingarchitecture.
 21. The mobile device securing and charging architectureof claim 17, wherein the automatically resetting aircraft-adapted powersupply circuit is a DO-160 compliant power supply.
 22. The mobile devicesecuring and charging architecture of claim 17, wherein theautomatically resetting aircraft-adapted power supply circuit comprisesa LED indicator providing an output indicative of whether power isavailable to the automatically resetting aircraft-adapted power supplycircuit.